Flying-machine.



` PATENTED JUNE 9, 1998. o. K; CHANGE..

PLYINGf MAGHINB.-

l vAPPLIGATIO-IIlILtD NOV. 4, 1907.-

iNO. 999,915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

-s sHBBTs-sHEET z PATENTBDJUNE 9, 1908.

ih" in" Elu o. K. CHANGE. FLYING MACHINE.'

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1907.

)W7/VESSEL? OLIVER K. CHANCE, OF MINEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA,

FLYING-MACHINE.

speciacauon' or Letters Patent."

Patented .rune e, 190s.

` Application medmvember 4, 1907. seria1No.4oo,4s2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER K. CHANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain.

new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines and -I do hereby 'declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as y'will enable others skiiledin the art Yto which it appertains to make and use the sanie,

My invention has for its Aobj ect to provide an improved flying machine, end to this e'nd it consists'of the novel devices and combinations of, devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.. l

The improved fiying machine' involves both features of the balloon and features of the mechanically propelled aeroplane, and'.

certain of the features of this invention are -capable of incorporation in either of these ltwo classes of flying machines, as well as in machines combining the two.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like. characters indicate like parts throughout vtheseveral views.

Referring ,to the drawings,` Figure 1 is a rear elevation, showing the improved flying machine as anentirety. Fig.2 is a vertical section taken from front toward the rear A through the complete I machine, approximately-on'the line x2 3:2 of Fig. 1, some parts being left in full. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line :r3 x3 of Fig. 1;,and Fig. 4 is' a detail in side elevation, showingldn detail a.. lever-actuated clutch and gear fan-driving'mechanism.

The balloon or. gas-containing bag is of double convex form and its rim or periphery is maintained inan approximately horizontal plane. The said bag is made u of up er and lower sheets 1 and 2 of oiled silk or ot 1er material suitable for holding a confined bodyl of gas, and these, -at their edges, are secured with gas-tight joints to alsharp-edged thin metal -rim 3 that is approximately V-shaped in cross section and is preferably constructed of aluminum. Y

A light metal tubular ,column or mast 4, preferably of aluminum, extends axially through the gas bag and the central /portion' of the upper sheet 1, ,issecured with a gastight joint to a flanged collar 5 which,- 1n turn, is rigidly secured to the tubular column 4.

Curved umbrella-like metal ribs 6,1prefer.

A the intermediate ably of ribbed spring steel, connect the collar or hub 5 to the upper iian e ofthe peripherall rim 3. Atubular collapsi le bag 7 surrounds ortion of the tubular column 4 and at its ower end is secured with a gas-tight joint to the central portion of the cured with a gas-tight joint to the tubular column4 at a point close to the upper sheet 1. yA multiplicity of oblique guy ropes or wires 8 connect the upper end ortion ofthe tubular mast 4 to the peri hera metallic rim 3 and very greatly assist t e ribs 6 in holding said rim 3 in a fixed position in respect to the said mast. In the lower sheet 2 is a normally closed vent cock 9, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. At a distance of about ten inflated ba is a'horizontall form 10, w ich at its central portion is provided with a longitudinally extended defeet below the pressed portion 11 .that provides the machine with a boat-like body or basket, the greatest length of'which is in the direction of the travel of they machine. This platform, in part, is suspended 'from the metallic peripheral rim 3, b a light metal frame made up, as shown, o corner rods 12, corner brace rods 12 and 13, longitudinally extended tie rods. 14 and suitable transverse connections. To the bottom of the platform 10 on opposite .sides of the basket 11 are secured bracerods 16 that are so bent that the lower outer ortions thereof constitute supporting feet W en the machine is rested upon thev ground. The lower end of the tubular column 4 is rigidly secured to the platform 10 on opposite sides of the basket 11 by oblique' brace bars 17. Tothe said tubular mast, near its lower end is ri idly secured a transverse bearin bar 18.

T e numeral 19 indicates a air o arallel forwardly extended ,rubber b ades t at are 'rigidly secured'to upright shafts 20 journaled at their upper ends in the rojecting ends ofthe bearing bars 18, 'and Journaled at their lower ends in suitable bearings 21 rigidly secured to the platform 10. To the lower ends of the rudder shafts 20 are secured worm gears 22 that 'mesh with worms 23 carried by the ends of a' transverse counter-shaft 24 .mounted in suitable bearings 25 on the platform 10. Thesel worms and worm gears are 1so arranged that they impart lateral csailator and old 'the same always parallel. On the .lower sheet 2, while at its upper end it is se'- disposed platmovements tothe rudder blades 1944 '40 bearing -bracket 40, the

shaft 24 isa hand Wheell 26 by means of' which the said shaft may be rotated in either direction to impart the roper steering movements to the rudder b ades-in either ,5 1 of two directions'transversely of the machine. Extended verticall -through. the tubular columnv4 and journa edin suitable bearings inthe ends thereof and in a'bearin 27 secured on the bottom of the basket 1 1 1s a lon vL u right pro eller shaft 28. Atitsu per en ,t propel er shaft 28 isrovide with 'a Ilar e plropeller wheel. 29 w 'oh is rovided vwit t e usual oblique or spiral 'b ades-ar-` 'ranged to rotate -in a horizontal plane. Nearpits lower end, the `propellershait 28 is provided with a bevel gear 30 that meshes with abevelgear 31,1.which latter ear, as

v shown, risdriv'en directly by thesha t of an, explosive engine 32,' but which, nevertheless,

zo may be driven'by a 'motor of any suitable t e. 1 y

y ounted to'rotate,'b,ut held againstver-.n tical movements on the upright ropeller' shaft 28 is a miter gear 33l that is a a'pted toA 'be connected to the said shaft for rotation therewith by a sliding half-clutch 34 of usual construction, subject 4to a shipper level; 35 pivotallyi mounted on the upper end extensi'onof a bearing bracket 36, the diver ing 80 legs of which areiiigidly secured at t eir lower ends to"thejplatform 10 on opposite sides ofthe basket 11. As shown, the lever 35 is adaptedto be secured to the bracket 36 either of two extreme positions by means 85 of a latch segment 37.- heniiter g'ear 33 meshes with the miter gear {5S-carried by a horizontal forwardly extended counter-shaft 39 moiinted=,in the upper end of thebearing bracket 36,/and.in the upper end of a similar egs of which are secured to the platform 10. Secured to the rear' end of the counter-shaft -39 is a bevel` gear 41. I

Axially alined with the counter-shaft 39 is a, propeller shaft 42 mountedin. the pronged upper .end of a bearing rbracket-43, the. depending legs of which'are secured tov the' front end ofthe platfrin 10 on opposite sides of the basket 11. Td the rearwardly pro'ecting endo this propeller shaft 42 i`s secure ajpro.- peller Wheel -44.- At its rear end the -propeller shaft 42 is provided with'a bevel gear 45vthat meshes with` a pair ofv reversely ar-` ranedbevel pinions 46 on a transverselyex 55, ten edcounter-shaft 47,- which counter-v shaft, at its intermediate portion, is journaled in acenti-allylocated pedestal 48, andy at its ends is journaled edestalsA 49, all of which; pedestalsgare rigi ymsecured to the 6o .platform 10. The beve .gear 41 ofthe coune ter-,shaft 39- meshes witli la bevel gear 50 se cured to the counter-shaft y47, so'that the latter.countershaft will be continuously .driven f from the former. In the pronged upper end of each bracket 49 isjournaled a propeller shaft 51 provided at its rearwardly projecting end with a propeller wheel 52, and provided at its rear end, with a bevel gear 53. The two laterally Aspaced propeller shafts 51 are parallel tothe centrally located ropeller shaft 42. The bevel gears -53v each) verselyarranged bevel mounted but lheld against 'sliding movements on the transverse counter-shaft 47.

For coperation with each of the three mesh with a pair of -regears 54 rotatively4 pairs of4 loose reversely arranged bevel gears 54-46 and 54, there -is -provided a sliding tion with, but free for sliding movements on -clutchsleeve 55` that is connected for rotav 'said countervsfhaft 47,` and is provided with clutch teeth at its op osite ends'A adaptedA 'for engagement with ha f clutches carried by the coperating loose bevel gears upon 'which the saidtsleeve works. For this construc- `ti'on see 'particularly Fig.- 4, but also note` lFigs. 2 and 3. Eachofthese clutchsle'eves 4 55 are subject toa shipper lever 56 that is adaptedto be held in either of three posin tions by a latch segment 57 'shown as se-` cured to thesupport to which the coperating lever is ivoted. The centrally located lever 5 6, which aetuates the sleeve that cooperates'withthe loose inions 46, is ivoted l to thelfsupporting brac et 40 (see ig 2), LWhile the loutside leversV 56 :are pivoted to projections of the bearing columns'49 (see particularly' Fig. 1) and are provided with inwardly projecting operating rods 58 that terminate in haiidieces located "within reach of a' person witl in the basketv 1 1'.

Deflecting wingsoi leaves 59 are'hiiiged'tov thefront and-rear edges of theplatforin 10v being, asfshown, connected 'thereto by hinges '60. i Transversely extended' rods 61 that `are -concentric to the joints of the.

hinges 60 are lrigidly secured to -the respective deiiecting leaves 59, asshownfby bearings 62. f Onleach erod 61 is'a small worm gear 63 that mes e'svwith a worin 64.

The two worms 64 are, secured to the oppf site ends of a shaft'v v65 mounted/n suita bearings (i6-secured to the front and rear portions of' the basket V1l. vOne of the Worms 64 has rightand the other has left threads, so that when the shaft 65 is rotated in one direction the two deflecting leaves will be simultaneously raised, and when the said shaft is. rotated in the other direction L 1-20 the said. two leaves will be simultaneously lowered. At its intermediate portion, the shaft 65 is'provided with a hand-wheel 67 bv means of which it may be rotated in eithe ldirection toaccomplish the above noted adjustnients of the deectingleaves 5'9.

The numeral 68 indicates a gas enero. or .that is connected'by means f a va ved pipe or tube 69 .to the interior of .t ie gas bag 12.

'gas'generator is intended simply to afford a supplemental :supply-ofgas to replenish the gas supply Within the bag during vflight, or when the machine requires gas when away from the main source'of supply.

' Suitably mounted on the frame-work and,

as shown, mounted directly on the trans- .Verse rods are spring rolled curtains 70 which are much like ordinary'automatically wound Window shades, but are larger and stronger. These curtains are capable of being independently pulled down y ropes or cords 71 which, as shown, run over guy pul.- leys 72 on the sides of the platform 10 and are adapted to be suitably securedv to the sides'of the basket 11. i

When the wind is blowing hard in a direction from the right toward the left in respect ,'t'Fig. 1, for example, its friction upon the. inflatedbag will tend to rock the `top of the machine toward the left, and to offset this the left hand curtain should be drawn down more or less, so that it will act much asa sail, andtheforce of the Wind upon the curtain ata point below the bag) Will compensate for the rocking tendency ove noted and tend to maintain the machinein an upright position` As is evident, the entire machine may be made to rise by one movement ofthe upper propeller 29 and may be\caused to lower by a 30 reverse movement of the said propeller. The upward and downward movements of tlie machine when in flight may be also lar gely controlled by adjustments of thesocalled defiecting leaves or wings 59. When the said deecting leaves or wings are moved upward they tend to cause the machine to rufe, and when moved downward they tend .'o cause the machine to lower. 'Vv'hen they are in a horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 2, 4o they tend to maintain the machine ata constarrt altitude.. The machine is given its traveling movements b means of the propellers 52-44 and 52. en sa-id prope 1ers are rotated in the one direction, forward motion will be imparted to the machine, and when they are rotated in-a reverse direction, a rearward motion will-be imparted to the machine. The machine is guided by the rudder blades 19. With the construction shown, reversal'of the engine 32 is required to reverse the direction of the rotation of the upper lar to t ose used in connection with the other propellers might be emplo ed. As is evien t,all three of the prope ers 52-44-52 may be simultaneousl thrown' into and outv `of 'action by manip ations of the shipper lever 35and sliding clutch 34. By -movements of the shi per levers 56 and coperating clutches and gears, `52--44 and 52 may be coupled to the transverse counter-shaft 47 for rotation in either direction.

If, by accident, the gas bag should be punctured and the gas leaked therefrom, the fr column, a propeller shaft ropeller 29, but shifting devices simithe said Propellers lower sheet 2 thereof will be pressed upward against the upper sheet 1 and in view of -thc arched shape of the supporting frame for the upper sheet, the deflated bag or balloon u'lll act as a parachute'to revent dangerously 70 rapid descent of the mac line. lt will also bc noted that the inflated bag is of such shape that it will travel through the air in an approximately horizontal direction 'under a minimum of resistance. Preferably the machine is caused to travel forwardwith the rudder blades 19 projecting ahead and with the threie ,ipropellers 52-4452 located at the rear o the machine. By manipulation ofthe laterally 30 spaced propellers 52 which are located one on each side of the longitudinal center of the machine, the direction of travel of the machine niay be controlled. By running one of the said propellers 52 inone direction and 85 the other in an opposite direction, the "machine may be caused to turn in either direction very abruptly.

What I claim is:

1. In a flying machine, the combination 9o with an arched skeleton frame including curved metal ribs and an annular rim secured to the outer ends of said ribs, which rim is approximately V-sha ed in cross section, of upper and lower bagormiug sheets attached to said annular rim, and a support located below said bag and suspended from said annularrim, substantially as described.

2. In a, lyingmachine, the combination with an arched skeleton frame comprising curved ribs and an annular metal rim, of a tubular column extending vertically through. said bag and secured to the inner ends of said Y ribs, guy rods or connections between Asaid annular rim and the upper end of said tubular/195.

extending through said tubular column'and provided at its upper end witha propeller, a su port located below said bag and suspended rom said annular rim, an approximately horizontal pro` peller shaft carried by saidsupport and provided with a propeller, a rudder-blade carried by said support, and a motor` carried by said su port an having connections to said prope ler shafts for rotating the same, substantially as described.

3k In a flying machine, the combination with an arched skeleton frame comprising curved ribs and an annular metal rim that is approximately V-shaped`in cross section, of a gas bag having upper and lower sheets connected to said annular rim, a tubular column extended through said bag and connected to the inner'ends of said ribs, said bag having a collapsible tube 4'7 secured to said tubular 125 column near the top of the bag, a pro iellcr shaft extended through said tubular co umn and provided with a ro )eller at its up )er end, a platform locateV below and suspen ed omvsaidannularrim and from said tubular ,"oolumn,` horizontal propeller shafts' vcarried by said platform andV providei with pro- `paliers, a air of rudders carried by said platorm an( connectedfor rallel swinging 5 move1nents,ximotor carrie byfsaid platform sind having driving vonneotionstp said pr'opeller shafts;delect1ug wings pivotally voonnocted to the 1" rontsnnrl rearfedges of said platp form, mill 'meamsrfor imparting simultaneous;v

upward and downward pivotal movements 10 to said deecting Wings, substantillv as described. l

` In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OLIVER K. CHANCE.

' "Witnesses: v A

H. D. KILGORE, F. D. MERCHANT.' 

